Zhenhao Zou, a 28-year-old PhD student convicted of raping ten women, is feared to have attacked at least 50 more victims he met online as only two have been identified
A PhD student convicted of drugging and raping 10 women is feared to be one of the UK’s most prolific sexual predators, and could have attacked at least 50 more people he met online.
Zhenhao Zou is believed to have attacked dozens more victims he met online and lured to his flat. The vile 28-year-old filmed nine of the assaults as “souvenirs”, and kept a trophy box of women’s belongings.
Only two have been identified with the rest yet to be traced after the rapes at his flats in London and China. Judge Rosina Cottage branded him a “dangerous and predatory sexual offender” after he was found guilty of 28 offences and warned him he faces a “very long” time in jail.
An international appeal has been launched to trace other victims, many of whom may still be unaware they were attacked because they were unconscious at the time after being given MDMA, GHB or ketamine. Chinese national Zou was convicted after a month-long trial at Inner London crown court.
Met Police Commander Kevin Southworth said afterwards: “Zou was clearly a dangerous, prolific and predatory individual who preyed on his victim survivors in the most cowardly and despicable manner. We also have evidence he may have attacked as many as 50 other women in the same awful nature, and that’s why we’re launching this appeal.
“He’s the most substantial and prolific offender we’ve come across in recent times. It’s not something I’ve seen in my 28 years of policing.”
Police are keen to hear from women in the Chinese student community who may have met Zou in and around London between 2019 and 2024. They would also like to speak to others who met him in China.
The trial heard how the mechanical engineering student appeared “smart and charming”. But prosecutor Catherine Farrelly KC said: “He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing and every woman’s nightmare. He is a serial rapist, he is a predator.”
Zou lived in student flats near Russell Square in Central London, and later in Elephant and Castle, South London. He was studying for a master’s degree then PhD at University College London.
The other offences he was convicted of included voyeurism and possession of extreme pornography. Zou, who showed no visible reaction as the verdicts were handed down, will be sentenced on June 19.
The UK’s most prolific rapist is Reynhard Sinaga who was jailed for life in 2020 for drugging and raping 48 men in his Manchester flat. Black cab rapist John Worboys was convicted in 2009 of sex assaults on 12 women and got two life sentences.
In 2019 Worboys was handed two life sentences with a minimum term of six years at the Old Bailey for attacking four more women. Detectives believe he may have carried out 100 rapes and sexual assaults between 2002 and 2008.
